Whatever Way The Wind Blows
by crazyasmidnight
Summary: Anna starts to venture out in life after turning 21. Could she have found the perfect man without even realizing it?


Anna had just made her way to the door, on her way to celebrate her first night out since her 21st birthday. Elsa, their cousin Rapunzel, Rapunzel's overly-zealous husband Flynn, and Elsa's friend Hans all awaited her arrival at the lowest-key bar in town, the Dry Distillery. The bar sits along the railroad tracks, in the end of town that most stragglers would be open to consider the middle of nowhere. Anna wasn't one to make a scene, anyway… clubs just weren't on the agenda.

Entering through the large, vintage wooden front door, Anna spotted her friends, sitting at a round table across the bar. She took the open seat as everyone wished her a happy birthday. "It's so nice to be out and about in normal street clothes…" Elsa laughed. "Those dresses get so old after a while…"

"I completely agree. Even my most elegant gowns are a bit worn out themselves. I should buy a new one soon…" Flynn laughed whole-heartedly as Rapunzel nudged him, jokingly in the right arm.

"I'll go buy us all a round…" Anna chimed. She proceeded toward the eerily empty bar. Noticing a man sitting at the very last corner seat, she couldn't help but stare. She approached the bartender, ordering a drink each for Elsa, Rapunzel, Flynn, and Hans. Anna chose to remain sober… she was clumsy enough in her own right. Out of the corner of her eye, the large, burly man caught her eye again. He looked so… miserable. So lonely. She took notice to his beverage of choice, and added that to her round of drinks.

Taking her drinks to the round table, she distributed everything except the man's drink. Elsa, clearly already a few under the table, announced loudly, "Oh! Great! Another charity case for Anna! You're kidding me this time, right, Anna? Has he even bathed this month?!" Rapunzel tried to calm Elsa's tone, but the damage had already been done. Stares emancipated from the few patrons of the establishment. Trying to ignore the stares, and the awkward feelings that her sister had bestowed upon her, she approached the man. He never looked up.

With her always cheerful, sometimes overly-friendly tone, she placed the drink on the bar beside him. "Hi! You looked a little down in the dumps, so I figured this might at least make you smile. Enjoy!" Anna silenced, she smiled, and turned away.

The drink smashed to the floor. "I am NOT a charity case. Save your money for a pity party for some hobo that hasn't bathed in months. I earn my own keep, I can afford my own things. You're ignorant, you're rude, and the audacity you have to even approach me after what I just heard coming from your table disgusts me." The man angrily shouted in Anna's face, nearly spitting. Against her normal reaction, Anna snapped, bracing her balance with the barstool beside him. "Excuse me?! I am an adult. My sister's comments, as inexcusable and degrading as they may be, and her ridiculous opinions do NOT speak for my morals. They do NOT represent my opinions, and they certainly do NOT represent me! I just tried to be kind to a total stranger, and this is what I get? I'll remember what a fool I was. Thanks for reminding me why it doesn't pay to be generous."

As Anna turned quickly to remove herself from the situation, in typical "Anna fashion", the barstool that Anna was leaning on flopped back to the ground surface, inadvertently landing on the leg of the base of her jeans. Apparently, also tearing a hole in the fabric. As the said hole looped over the stool leg, Anna crashed hard right on her stomach. Flynn began to run from the table toward her… the situation had gotten bad enough. As Anna began fidgeting awkwardly to break free, she realized how stuck she really, truly was. As he glared down from the bar, the burly man gave a deep groan of disgust. He reluctantly stepped down slowly from his stool, making Flynn stop in his tracks. The large man kneeled with a sigh. "Hold still." He said as he lifted the chair and managed to untangle all of the loose, freyed strings from where the denim had ripped. "There, next time don't be so clumsy." He extended a hand, and helped Anna up. She thanked him with embarrassment in her face and voice, and made her way back to her table.

Anna had decided that she had enough for one night. Following behind Flynn and Hans as they both supported a very drunken shoulder belonging to Elsa, the group went home for the night. The guys made sure that Elsa was safe in her apartment. After wishing Anna one last birthday wish, they had all gone home.

Practically changed into her pajamas, Anna began to search for her chap stick in her purse. While rummaging, she had realized that her credit card wasn't in there. She must have left it with the bartender when she bought the round! She had no choice to return. Elsa was sound asleep, and Flynn and Hans' phones were turned off. Anna decided that since it was the end of the night anyway, the bar was closing so pajama bottoms were just fine.

She drove 20 minutes to find the door unlocked. There was a stifled laughter from inside, as the bartender was cleaning up to close up the place. Anna stepped inside, realizing that the bartender was speaking with the strange, burly man from earlier. "I believe I left my card… did anyone find it?" Anna interrupted. The lady offered to go check in the office for her, and disappeared quickly. Anna could feel the eyes in the side of her face, illuminating from the lone patron left at the bar. She stared at the wall to make the whole situation as painless as possible.

"Hey. You. Clumsy girl." A voice echoed from the end of the bar. "Come over here for a minute. I don't bite."

Anna stood clueless. Did she venture that way, or just leave? Call the credit card in stolen by morning and just leave? 'Stupid conscience. I hate you, sometimes' she muttered to herself as she approached him. "What? Didn't give you enough laughs at my expense earlier? Figured showing up in pajamas would make it better for you."

The man smirked. "Look. I owe you an apology. You tried to do something nice for me earlier, and I disrespected you simply because I thought you disrespected me. I'm sorry for the things I said, and for making you feel like that. I'm really not that type of person." He said, hoping for an acceptance, but not expecting one.

Anna felt 100 pounds lift off of her shoulders. "Don't sweat it. If I were in your shoes, I'd have felt the same way. I never meant to offend you." She said with a smile. "I think we started off on the wrong foot, here. I'm all for starting fresh." She extended her hand. "I'm Anna. Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Kristoff." He shook her hand abruptly. "Nice to meet you as well." They exchanged smiles. "Sorry for my appearance. I work in the coal mines. Didn't have the chance to stop at home today. So, you can tell your friend, sister, whichever… that yes, I have bathed this month." He laughed.

"My sister sometimes needs a muzzle when she goes out drinking. She doesn't have a filter." Anna chuckled as the bartender slid her card across the counter. "Doors are closing… out with you two!"

Anna proceeded out the large door into the parking lot. "It was nice to meet you, I'm glad I came back." She turned around to see that he had stopped walking, and was leaning against his vehicle.

"So, there's an all night diner down the road a piece. Care to join me for coffee?" He asked, still propped against his truck.

"I guess you do owe me a drink, don't you?" Anna laughed, while accepting his offer.

-xxx-xxx-xxx-

**Bare with me... first fanfiction attempt in over 15 years. Next chapter coming soon. Review? :)**


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